SAP EWM MFS (material flow system)

Control technical installations efficiently with the integrated material flow system (MFS) in SAP EWM

Your Requirements

Integration of MFS in SAP EWM
One system for the whole warehouse
Warehouse management monitor as central control
Direct integration of programmable logic controller (PLC)
Complete transparency
Integration of automated pallet warehouse, automated small parts store, conveyor systems

Our Solution

Implementation of SAP EWM MFS
Integration of all possible technical installations
Customized telegram traffic between SAP EWM and PLC
Usage of SERKEM SAP EWM template
SERKEM process know how
Standardized integration of automated storage technology

Your Benefits

Efficient integration of MFS
No proprietary material flow computer
All-in-one system
Usage of SAP standard functionalities
Preconfigured processes and settings
One central interface to PLCs

The SERKEM solution in detail

SAP EWM MFS (material flow system)

Since the 5.1 update, SAP EWM includes a complete material flow control system for the integration and management of complex technical equipment. Communication is enabled through a unified telegram exchange between SAP EWM MFS and the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The following technical systems, among others, can be integrated into SAP EWM MFS.

SAP EWM MFS integration possibilities

Conveyor technology (PFT, BFT)
Automatic small parts warehouse (AKL)
Automatic pallet warehouse (APL)
High-bay warehouse (HRL)
Stacker crane (RGB)
Carousel storage
Flow rack storage
Paternoster storage
Special storage
Mobile data capture
Forklift control system
Pick-by-Voice
Pick-by-Light
Pick-by-Vision

Master Data

PLC Interfaces

If there are several programmable logic controller (PLC) in the storage (container conveyor technologies, pick-by-light, storage and retrieval machine), which use the same interface definition (same telegram type, error code), PLC interfaces have to be defined.

Reporting Points

A reporting point is a point on the conveyor technolgoy, in which the real communication between SAP EWM and the PLC takes place. Every reporting point has a specific type. This type of reporting point can be either an identification point or an aisles-decision-point.

Conveyor segment

A conveyor segment describes the way between two reporting points. Conveyor segments can be assigned to conveyor segment groups.

MFS resource type

In SAP EWM, all movable vehicles have to be assigned to a resource type in the material flow system.

Storage Control

Layout-oriented storage control

Interim storage points can be defined, that products don´t have to be moved from a by-storage-bin to a not-storage-bin. Storage groups can be created to the layout-oriented storage control.

Reporting point dependings

Reporting points can be checked to discharge a specific reporting point. An example for a discharge is an empty reporting point.

Routing

Logical destinations for EWM

The logical destination in EWM indicates the direction in which a handling unit should move.

Logical destination for PLC

The logical destination for PLC is the direction or area in which a handling unit should be moved.

Telegram Processing

MFS activities

In MFS activities, specific functional components/actions will be called up to coordinate the complete material flow system.

Telegram structure

A telegram structure will be assigned to The PLC and the telegram type. The telegram structure includes the starting point, status request, storage task, life-telegram etc.

Exception Handling

EWM exceptions

Exceptions can be defined for general PLC-errors, PLC-access-control-errors and for communication errors.

With the SERKEM SAP EWM template, the basic functions of MFS are already defined with the most important process types. Do you have questions about SAP EWM or need help at optimization or implementation of an EWM system? Don´t hesitate to contact us. The SERKEM EWM experts will be happy to assist you.